Traffic signal



M. A. CASTRO TRAFFIC SIGNAL Nov. 5, 1929.

Filed Sept. 1926 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. I 5, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE MANUEL A. CASTRO, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO BLAND BRODNAX, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC SIGNALApplication filed September 8, 1926. Serial No. 134,158.

This invention relates to improvements in traffic signals and moreparticularly to signals attached to automobiles and adapted to beoperated by the driver, to display signals indicating right and leftturns, stops, etc.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a compact selfcontained easily attachable signal device that will present a visiblesemaphore on the outside of the car, operated by means from within thecar within easy reach of the driver. A further object is to present amaximum amount of semaphore surface when exposed, that may be foldedwithin the minimum of space when not presented in the signalingposition. Other objects and advantages will appear as this descriptionprogresses.

In this specification and the annexed drawings, the invention isdisclosed in the form considered thebest, but I do not wish to beunderstood aslimiting the invention to this form, as it may be embodiedin other forms, and it is also to be understood that in and by the claimfollowing the description, it is desired to cover the invention inwhatsoever form it may be embodied.

In the accompanying one sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a pictorialillustration of an automobile having this device applied thereto. Figure2 is a vertical section on the line IIII, of asignaling deviceconstructed,in accordance with thisinvcntion. Figure 3 is a fragmentaryfront elevation showing the semaphore lights and the super-posedrelation of the leaves formingthe semaphore.

In detail the construction illustrated in the drawings comprises theenclosing casing preferably formed in dies from sheet metal in channelsection, having the bottom 1 with parallel sides 2 rising therefrom andhaving the ends 3 and 4. About centrally of its length the enclosingcasing is offset as at 5. The invention is designed to be attached tothe front stile of the front door of enclosed models of automobiles,adjacent to the driver. The offset 5 being provided to expose the upperor semaphore half of the casing on the exterior of the car while thecontrol half remains within the car.

The semaphore comprises a series of leaves super-posed one with theother, the lower- 1 most leaf 6 being provided with a flange 7 along itslower edge to cover the edges of the connected leaves 8, 9 and 10, whenthey are folded within the casing. These leaves are segmental, beingwider at their outer ends and tapertowards their inner ends. Thesenarrower ends or apices are all pivoted upon a common pin 11transverselysecured across the casing, spaced away from the bottomflange and adjacent to the outer edges of the walls 2 at the offset 5.These leaves 6 to 10 are inserted over the pin 11 with an antifrictionwasher between to space the leaves apart to prevent them chafing oneagainst the other. Near their outer or wider ends each of these leavesis provided with an arcuate slot 12. The are of the slot being struck onthe radius from the pivotal center 11. Each of these slots 12 engage apin 13 in the contiguous leaf. The pins 13 have heads wider than theslots 12 so that all of the leaves are inter-connected and are adaptedto swing on the centerll in fan like formation, the slots and pins 12and 13 limiting the spread of the semaphore.

Both sides of the semaphores are provided with any desirable legendssuch as, Right, Left, Stop, and the like, each of the leaves from 6 to10 containing its portion of the characters forming the legends, so thatthe spread semaphores will display the complete legends. Thesesemaphores should be painted distinctive colors suchas red for Stop, theword stop in white letters, the

semaphore indicating a Right turn being awhite ground with blackletters, and the semaphore indicating a Left turn being yellow'withblack letters, or any other combinations of colors that may be desiredor prescribed by law. The topmost leaf 10 is provided with a jointedretaining arm consisting of two parts joined by a pivot at 14 and havingits opposite ends pivoted to the upper edge of the leaf 10 and the sidewall 2 or partition 27 of the casing respectively as at 15 and 16. Thelength of the retaining arm is intended to spread or fan out thesemaphore as it drops. The respective leaves 8, 9 and 6 drop by gravity,assisted by momentum, to the limit of their respective slots 12 and pins13. Any number of these semaphores may be assembled within the casing toindicate the intention of the driver to stop, make a right or left turn,or back, according to the number or semaphores assembled within thecasing. semaphores are under remote control of in dividual handleswithin the reach of the driver of the vehicle.

The preferred type of control consists of a bell crank such as 17,pivoted as 18 on a transverse pin extending across the casing and fixedin the walls 22. The outer end of this bell crank is pivoted at 19 tothe lower leaf 6 of the semaphore in front of the pivot 11, the innerend is pivoted as at 20 to the end of the connecting rod 21, that ispivoted at 22 on the lever 23, which in turn is pivoted on the pin 2 fextending transversely across the casing between the walls 22. Thehandle ends of the levers 23 protrude through operating slots in thebottom 4: of the casing and are provided with ornamental and convenienthandles 25, within reach of the driver of the vehicle.

The portion of the casing within the car is closed by the cover 26covering the control mechanism. The upper portion of the casing isdivided by partitions 27 to form compartments for the various semaphoresand" also to provide wall to which the retaining arm can be pivoted asat 16. lVhen the various semaphores are collapsed within the upperportion of the casing the flanges 7 practically fill the spaces betweenthe partitions 27, for the protection of the various elements of thesemaphore. ther forms of remote control are available, it beingunderstood that magnetic and electric means are the equivalent of themechanical means shown. In the cheaper forms of the invention the lowerportion of the casing and the control mechanisms may be omitted and theends of the leaves 6 extended past the pivot 11, through the bottom 1 ofthe casing and terminate in handles, such as 25, for direct control ofthe semaphores.

This invention operates substantially as follows: The casing is attachedto the front stile of the door, in front of the driver of the vehicle,by means of screws 28 and 29 passing through the casing and beingscrewed into the woodwork of the door stile. The offset portion 5 bringsthe lower portion of the casing within the confines of the vehicle andinto easy reach of the hand of the operator;

he sliding glass in the door is not interfered with in any way, exceptat the top, where it can rise only to the ofiset portion 5, leavingabout an inch or so at the top for ventilation, which is usual practicein closed cars, on the drivers side. However if it-is desired that theglass close the limit it is necessary to cut These various a notch X outof the corner of the glass to clear the odset portion 5. Then the glassis retracted within the door as is usual practice, this does in no wayinterfere with the general appearance or operation of the door. F oropen cars the device may be attached to the edge of the windshield andthe entire device exposed. In this case, the lower levers 25 will bereversed so that their handles project outwardly on the same side of thecasing as the semaphores, the driver reaching forward to handle them inthe same manner as previously described for closed cars, wherein thehandles extend within the inclosure.

This invention operates substantially as follows allof the semaphoresbeing normally retracted within the upper portion of the casing. hen thedriver intends to make a right hand turn for instance, he reachesforward and lifts the right handle 25 which swinging on its pivot 24lifts the rod 21, throwing the bell crank 17 upward on its pivot 18which pulls the stem 19 downward which pulls the leaf 6 of the rightsemaphore downward until the restraining arm operates to stop thedescent of the leaf 10, which causes the leaves 8 and 9 to progressivelyslide one upon the other until all the leaves, 6, 8, 9 and 10 are fullyexposed showing the full reading of the legend Right on the semaphore,exposed from the upper portion of the casing at horizontal. After theturn is made the driver reaches forward, pulls [down upon the righthandle 25 which reverses the motion causing the bell crank 17 to pushthe lower leaf 6 upward, progressively picking up the leaves-8, 9 and 10and bending the retaining arm on its pivot at 14:, until the semaphoreis againcompletely collapsed within its compartment in the upper portionof the casing, ready to repeat the operation.

To retain the semaphores in the inoperative position within the casing Ihave provided a soft spring detent 30 fastened at one end to the upperend 3 of the casing and having a notch like contour at 31, to engage thepointed ends 32 of the respective leaves forming the semaphore tofrictional'ly retain the semaphore within the casing but with sufficientresilience to give way under the impulse of the control handles 25.

All the metal parts of the device, and it is all metal with the possibleexception of the ornamental handles 25 are susceptible of nickel platingor other plating to match the trim of the car to which it may beapplied, or for similar reasons, enameled in any desired color orcontrast of colors. I

For night drivingt-he electric light globes 33 are provided on oppositesides of the casing adjacent to the pivot 11 of the semaphores. Theselights are hooded 34, to protect the eyes of the driver and also toconcentrate the light by reflection on the semaphores when they arethrown into the operative position. These lights are automaticallyturned on and off by means of the spring contact 35 arranged in the pathof the levers 17 and connected with one contact 36 of the lamp 5filament, the other contact of the lamp fila ment being on a groundedcircuit 37 with the casing 1, that is in turn grounded through thechassis of the automobile, and the circuit 38 of the storage battery 39of the automobile with appropriate intermediate switches.

These lights make very good parking lights when the car is standing atthe curb at night, by merely dropping the semaphore with the legendStop, it then remains illuminated and inthe operative position untilretracted by the operator.

Having thus described this invention what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

A traffic signal comprising an elongated casing having an ofisetintermediate its length, a collapsible fan shape semaphore comprising aplurality of segmental slidably interconnected plates having theirapices piv- 5 oted on a common pivot in said casing adjacent said.offset, a detent in said casing adapted to engage said semaphore, a bellcrank pivoted. in said offset and to the lower leaf of said semaphore, ajointed arm attached to the topmost of said plates and to said casingabove said pivoted point, and a remote control handle pivoted in saidcasing and linked to said bell crank.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

MANUEL A. CASTRO.

